The Letter
by Cosmic Castaway
Summary: I was able to get on with my life, the pain that had been hurting had stopped and then it came in the mail, and to me it was a plague.


Disclaimer -----think I spelled that right) DON'T OWN NOTHING. Just thought to do a little story while I'm still working on the big major stories. Thanks guys for reply's you have given me made me one little happy scaper. So thanks again. ;) Tell me what you think this one.   
  
  
  
It came in the mail, and to me it was a plague. It was late Tuesday, June 08, 2019 many years since my friend had died. I couldn't believe it had been so long, since High School. Looking at the paper standing in my socks on the porch, and work outfit from I just had come home from work. I wouldn't believe that it had been that long and I had forgotten, not really wanting to remember. How DARE I do that in his memory, but to me the pain was so unbearable and I could no longer take it. So I did what I thought was best, I forgot and just let it be. As I feel wetness on my cheek, I realize the dampness is tears that had escaped from my tired eyes. I could barely read the words for my vision had become a blur. Ohhh man did I need a beer right now, a nice cold Miller Light.   
  
I walk into the house; not paying attention to the TV that was blasting from the living room. I just walk by the refrigerator grab myself a beer, and then proceed to walk outside. The beer began to sweat under my hand in the Florida humid air. I carefully lay down onto the cold grass, being extra careful not to spill my precious alcoholic beverage. I watch as the clouds are turning their usual pinkish color, and soon the day turns into night and the stars come out.   
  
"Honey what are you doing here?" I didn't know my wife had even come home, let alone be standing by me. I still had the piece of paper in my hand and she saw me look at it. My darling wife sits down beside me taking the paper from my hands. "Are you going to go?" I don't answer, knowing I'm being terribly rude, I just continue to look up at the stars. Man did he sure love those stars. "You know...you don't have to go. Nobody is making you go."   
  
She studied him not sure what to think. "Yes I know this, but I have to." He didn't look at her. "I owe it to him." He gets up. He goes inside, throws the beer bottle into the trash can with enough force to shatter it inside with the other garbage. He grabbed his car keys that hung on the little hook and went back outside to grab the piece of paper that was still in the hands of his wife. He kissed her on the cheek. "I'll be back in a few hours." He walks to the car and takes off.  
  
I know where I'm going. I visited it more then just that one time. My mind is a racing with many thoughts. I can't separate them, and I really don't want to try. I was able to get on with my life, the pain that had been hurting and stabbing me like a big old razor blade, when I had finally submerged my feelings for my family and my work. Yes I will admit sometimes little things would remind me of the dumbest thing about him, but it would still be funny to me, and then I was thrown back into the past making me hurt all over again. Just like this stupid piece of paper that was from my past that I JUST DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO.  
  
The car comes to a stop outside the gates. Good thing some people like to come at night to this place, cause he really didn't plan on climbing the stupid gate that would keep out unexpected guests. The headlights from his car shinned on the headstones that were before him, and with the flick off his wrist he turned off the beaming lights.   
  
He got out of the car holding a flashlight. The flashlight was not meant for him to see where he was going, cause for sure he knew the exact path he needed and where to step to make it to his destination. The flashlight would be used to he could see the lettering for he just wanted to, I mean he knew what it said, but he didn't want to be in the complete dark. He came to a stop, for he had reached his purpose, a family of headstones.   
  
The first that was laid there was of the grandparents. He never knew them so he just skipped them to one of them he recognized. Shay L. Crichton. She was the first to go, that he knew off. She was so beautiful and so full of life before the disease began to take over her features. "Man I remember those days. It was hard but we made it though, she was a second mother to me. You were never the same but who is when they lost someone so dear to them." He knew that feeling all to well now. I move my flashlight towards the next one. It rests there, and I felt sadness. Jack Crichton. It wasn't that long ago when he had finally died, but to the family and I Jack had died the day when his son had disappeared doing the thing he loved.   
  
It was sad, looking at him when he went though those years before he died. He still had daughters that cared for him, and whom he cared for but he still just could not live. It is a thing to lose someone who you are married to, but it's another to lose someone you gave life to. Maybe that is why he just closed up and never really could talk to anyone. It's not that he loved his daughters, he loved them a great deal. He just lost a part of himself, that part had died long before the body did, and he could never recover from that.   
  
He found his hands were shaking when he went to move it to the next headstone. You would think the shaking was coming from freezing weather, but it was not cold and he knew better. The shaking was coming from seeing the headstone once more. "I know I haven't been here in such a long time. But you finally were rested in my head and heart, till this came."   
  
He held the paper in front of him as though to show the headstone what was on it. He laughed at himself; man was he losing it. "I don't know what I should do." He looked at the paper again. With stinging and glittering tears in his eyes he dropped the paper. The paper swayed up and down from the lack of wind and it landed softly to the ground. "We were supposed to go to this together, remember."  
  
(Past)  
  
"Can you believe it man, in 2 days Graduation and we can blow this joint. Never looking back, and just making are dreams that we have dreamed for so long and make them true." DK looked at his friend who was filled with excitement that he too was feeling.   
  
DK and John Crichton walked through the halls of there school that they wouldn't be walking anymore, unless for some odd reason they had to come back, which was doubtful in their minds. "I know. It will be weird never walking these halls, which we have come to known. Or trying to beat the bell or no more detentions." John and DK smacked hands. "Hell Yeah, DK."   
  
DK and John walked out of the doors, making their way to the student's parking section. "Excuse me Ladies" said John, pacing some girls who were stopped in the middle of their pathway.   
  
John jumped into his 62 T-Bird with DK jumping into the passenger seat. John turned the ignition and sped off leaving the school behind them, only to see it a couple more times.   
"YOU SHAKE MY NERVES AND YOU RATTLE MY BRAINS. TO MUCH LOVE DRIVES A MAN INSANE. YOU BROKE MY WILL, OH WHAT A THRILL. GOODNESS GRACIOUS GREAT BALLS OF FIRE." Sang DK and John well at least they tried singing. They were cruising downtown. They didn't know what to say, so John had turn on the radio when the song by Jerry Lee Lewis came on. They broke out in song, using their worst voices they could, but no one was there to criticize them so they did it for fun.   
The song had ended and John turned on DK's street. Ben E. King's "Stand By Me" was now playing in the car, settling the boys down.   
"When the night has come. And the land is dark, and the moon is the only light well see. No I won't be afraid, No I won't be afraid just as long as you stand, Stand by me."  
  
John came to a stop. DK looked at his house from the car window, the window being down. "Hey John, just think. When everything goes to plan, when we make our dreams come true. When we are happily married too are future wives and with our children to call are own, and be sitting on our porches drinking nice cold beers." John smiled. "We will be able to look back and say, We made it through together. Can you promise me one thing." John looked at him questionably "If your asking me to marry you, NO.' DK laughed. "Well John I have this incredible burden. I been thinking about you in a very different way." DK and John broke up into laughter. "That's not what I wanted to say, I wanted to say was that when the Class Reunion comes up. Let's go to it. Together, we will take our wives and go to the High School Reunion."   
  
John looked away. Then looked at DK. He held out his hand to him. "Deal. With our beer bellies we will contact each other and go to the silly ass Class Reunion, no matter what happens." John and DK shook on their little promise.  
"Darling, Darling Stand By Me. Ohhh Stand by Me. Oh Stand now, Stand By Me, Stand By Me. Whenever you're in trouble would you stand by me? Ohhh Stand By Me, Stand. Stand By Me"  
  
The song ended and DK got out of the car. He waved as John hit the gas pedal making the engine loud and nosy as possible, but to a guy that was the best noise. DK turned around and travel up the little pavement walkway. That DK not knowing that the promise they made in John's car would never come true, and the present DK grieved from that loss.   
  
(The Present)  
  
  
"You made a promise and when promises are made you never BREAK THEM."   
He looked at his best friend's grave. No. His brother's grave. He wanted to kick it; cause for it stood when there was nothing underneath. It's weird having a funeral with no body. Tears came out uncontrollable; he looked up to the heavens. "WHY DID YOU TAKE MY BROTHER FROM ME!" yelled DK as though God himself would tell him what truly happened. That his friend was actually safe, well as safe as he was going to get.   
"I'm going to the Class Reunion, with my wife. It just won't be the same without you bud." He couldn't stop the tears that just keep flowing as though it was a faucet. "Man do I wish you were here with me, right now." His shoulders sagged with sorrow. He let his legs collapse beneath him letting all the build up emotions from John's death come out. He put his hand over his eyes, as though that would stop the body wrenching sobs that were taking over his entire size.   
  
"I know I didn't cry at the funeral, nor did your father. Only the women seem to cry." He sniffed "But I know this, John. We cried inside, and hey look at me I'm crying like a baby right now. So I guess this can count right." He looked down, the tears soaking his pant legs."   
  
DK soon heard another car pull up and someone gets out and began to walk his way. He tried to wipe away the red trails that had stained his face, but as hard as he tried there was no hiding that he was broken hearted and in pain once more over his friends death.   
  
"DK?" Called out a soft voice. He soon realized it was his wife. "DK, I know you said you would be back." She stopped. Trying to finish and think out her words. "I just thought you may need some company." He looked up from where he sat on the cold ground. "How did you know I was here? Of all the places." She put her fingers on his lips, cutting off his words. "Honey, I know you too well." She came and sat beside him. She put her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist. She too looked at the grave sight that was marked for John Robert Crichton Jr.   
  
"I have decided to go to ummm....the class reunion. Would you come with me? You see John and I made a pack that we would take our wives and go to it." He breathes in deeply trying to fight off the next wave of tears. "I don't want to be alone, cause..." He blinked hard. "The memories are going to come flooding back, and I just need you there for me." The tears again slid down his face. She looked down and then with her finger she wiped away the salty teardrops.   
  
"Yes of course I would be honored to go with you. To see the High School that my baby DK and famous John Crichton went to." She put on a fake smile. She again put her head on his shoulder and relaxed into his embrace. He sat there sitting in front of his friend's tombstone. He kissed the top of his wife's head. "Thank you." He whispered.   
  
He let his eyes glance over again. The headstone stood tall, just like the man DK knew. He let his eyes go up, the tree the leaves and branches getting in his line of view. But he knew what was beyond it. The stars. He thought to himself, I owe it to you John Crichton to go to the class reunion.   
DK and his wife got up; he picked up the piece of paper and the flashlight. They both in a loving embrace made their way back to their cars. As they walked away the light that had shown on the headstones, was gone leaving the graves of the Crichton family in pitch black of the night.   
  
The End  
  



End file.
